


As the Sun Sets

by ArianAngel95



Category: Original Work
Genre: Action, Angels, Demons, F/M, Magic, Original Fiction, Romance, Shapeshifting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-26
Updated: 2017-12-08
Packaged: 2019-02-06 22:44:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 19,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12827703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArianAngel95/pseuds/ArianAngel95
Summary: The sun always sets when you need it's light the most... Ariel was just a normal girl until the world around her exploded. Suddenly, nothing is as it seems and she has to learn how to survive with only her Guardian to guide her through the villainess waters. Can she survive the darkness? Or will her light be extinguished as the sun sets on the world?





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

 

The room was dark, the sound of thunder and rapid gunfire rang through the air. The tile floor was cool and hard beneath my knees and the metallic smell of blood saturated the air. I gently gripped the familiar weight of my M4 rifle as the sound of approaching footsteps reached my ears. I peeked around the corner and squinted my eyes to try and see in the dark hallway. A mass of dark shadows ran towards me, the shape of their weapons unfamiliar to my overwhelmed mind. I quickly fired off three rounds, taking down three of the figures as I moved further down the hall. They opened fire and I could feel the bullets kiss the air as they flew past me. I tried to think about who would attack a military base, home to one of the best infantry regiments in the world. Their attack was also too focused to be random. They attacked my unit, my floor, and my room first. I was lucky to have even gotten to my weapon when they stormed in. Only my instincts screaming at me that something was wrong had warned me.

 

I shivered as a breath of cool air brushed my heated skin through a broken window. The building fell silent, as if it was holding its breath, waiting for what would happen next. Suddenly, bullets began tearing into the wood desk that I was hiding behind. Brilliant orange flames burst to life just outside the door and the hiss of gas sent a forbidding chill down my spine. I sat up and fired off shots until my rifle clicked, signaling that I had run out of ammunition.

 

“Get down!!” someone shouted a second before a huge body slammed into me and an explosion rocked the building. I looked up at the heavy figure that was laying on top of me, crushing me. I could just make out his solid muscles outlined in a dark t-shirt against a deep tan. With a quick jerk, he sprang to his knees and began to return fire against the remaining shadows that had survived the explosion. The flashes of gunpowder briefly lit his face enough for me to see his beautifully chiseled features, his mesmerizing steel gray eyes, and lushly curved lips flattened into an angry line. I slowly peeked over the overturned wall locker that he had tackled me behind. Bullets flew past me and only trained reflexes allowed me to catch the full magazine that my unlikely savior tossed me. “One shot kills,” he ordered harshly, never even glancing at me. “Those are expensive bullets.”

 

With a quick nod, I released my empty magazine and slapped in his. Filling the camber, I took a steadying breath and then popped over the locker. The hallway was smoky, my eyes watering until I could just make out the shadows of the enemy. My shots were accurate; one shadow falling with each bullet before the hallway fell quiet. I slowly stood, my finger lightly resting on the trigger as I scanned the hallway for movement. The man beside me stood and looked around. “I think that's all of them,” I said quietly as I watched him out of the corner of my eye. He moved with the lethal grace of a lion on the hunt; smooth and effortless movements that bespoke of years of training and combat.

 

He slowly shook his head before turning to me. The fire across the hall lit half his face and cast the other half in shadow. His gray eyes seemed to darken in color and the firelight glimmered in his short blonde hair. “No,” he said in a rumbling baritone voice. “There will be plenty more of them. Right now though, I need to get you out of here.”

 

I stepped away from him at his unspoken threat. “I have to see if any others survived,” I told him harshly. “If any did, then I need to help them. I will not leave a fallen comrade behind.”

 

His eyes hardened to granite gray stones. “That is a nice ideal but it is pointless when there are not any survivors,” he growled. “I commend you on not leaving a comrade but it is you that they are after and they will keep killing people until they find you.”

 

I froze at his words. How could they be after me? I was just an average girl from middle Georgia. I had no enemies; I lived a normal life. “What do they want with me?” I asked in quiet determination. “And who are they to begin with?”

 

I saw the muscles in his jaw clench and somehow knew, instinctively, that he had reached the end of his patience and that I would be going with him, whether I wanted to or not. He was just opening his mouth to say something when I saw a shadow move behind him out of the corner of my eye. Without hesitation, I threw myself at him and tackled him to the ground as a sharp pain blazed across my side. He wrapped his arms around me and took the brunt of the fall before rolling over and covering me with his body. My vision blurred and my pulse pounded in my ears as I watched his blurry image crouch above me whiles he fired two shots down the hall. He was cursing eloquently in a language that I didn't know as he pulled out a silver phone. I felt his hands move briskly over my body, his touch cool to my suddenly feverish skin as he looked for injuries. I moaned quietly when his fingers brushed my left side, just above my hip bone. He growled again in that foreign language before gently picking me up in his arms. I felt my eyelids drift close before he tossed me slightly to keep my attention. “Don't go to sleep on me,” he spoke harshly from a distance. “Don't you dare close your eyes.”

 

I struggled to obey his demand but all I could notice was how his accent mixed with his English. It was a cross between Latin, Celtic, and English. As I puzzled over it, I looked into his gray eyes and wondered how the color could appear to be swirling shades of gray as my eyes drifted close for a final time.

 

* * *

 

 

The room was dark when I walked in, but that posed no problem for me because I had the room committed to memory. Dim moonlight poured into the infirmary and fell across the bed on the far side of the room, illuminating the pale figure in the bed. She was undoubtedly attractive with long, soft blonde hair, delicate porcelain doll features, and a strong slender body that bespoke of ability and grace, warrior and woman. It had been difficult earlier, when I had knocked her out of the flames way, to get up and away from her soft body, to remember that there was an enemy nearby. It was unsettling to have lost my bearings that quickly as well.

 

I pulled myself out of my thoughts and nodded to Mike, who was sitting in the office as guard for the night. He nodded back and shoved himself out of the chair he had been lounging in. “How is she?” I asked quietly.

 

Mike stood and walked over to stand beside me and looked at the reason our enemy had stormed a military base. “Her vitals have steadied out,” he replied, his eyes flickering to the monitors of the machines that were connected to the girl. “I think that the poison is out of her system. She should recover within a few days.”

 

I watched her quietly for a few minutes. Her eyes flickered beneath her eyelids as she settled into a deep, comfortable sleep. Her hand lay gently on her stomach, the elegant fingers poised with unknown beauty, while her other hand laid curled beside her head. “She doesn't look like someone who could end the world, does she?” I asked under my breath.

 

“True,” Mike laughed softly. “But then appearances can be deceiving. It will be interesting to see where she goes in this journey.” I felt him turn and look at me. I could see the smirk and amused glimmer in his green eyes at the edge of my vision. “Are you ready to be her full Guardian?” he asked.

 

I glared at him before turning back to the girl. “Of course,” I growled with a careless shrug. “Why wouldn't I be?” I questioned as I thought about the last couple of years. Ever since we had discovered the ancient text foretelling the possible end of the world, we had been scrambling to trace our bloodlines back to see if we could find the one who the prophecy spoke about. It wasn't an easy task considering most of our records had been destroyed in a fire millennia ago. Finally, after months of tirelessly searching, I had managed to trace the original bloodline back to this girl. When I had taken the information to the Council, they had decided that I would be her unofficial Guardian until the time came to tell her about our existence. Now that she knew something was up, I would become her permanent Guardian and leader of her Guard. Females were scarce in our world and each one was protected as if she was a rare and precious jewel.

 

Mike laughed again, pulling me out of my thoughts. “I'm just sensing that she will be a handful,” he said with a grin that said he knew more than he was telling.

 

I rolled my eyes and looked down at the girl on the bed. She looked so peaceful, as if she had never seen the horrors of the world, and so young. I felt my long buried protective instincts rise to the surface and, just as those feelings rose, something inside me simply looked at her and said 'mine'. It was an unsettling feeling. Mike walked quietly away after clasping my shoulder for strength, a flow of power jumping from him to me. I nodded my thanks for the support before sitting down in the chair beside the bed, settling into the shadows around the bed. I slouched down into the padding and folded my arms across my chest. The poison may be out of her system but she still had a long recovery in front of her. I felt my body slowly pull me into sleep as it usually did when I had a moment of peace.

 

My dream was hazy, fogged around the edges, and I felt like I was moving through hot, suffocating water. My thoughts were chaotic and panicked, jumping from seemingly innocent detail to detail. It puzzled me because even when facing near certain death, I never reacted like this. Something was wrong but I wasn’t sure what. The visions in my dream were hauntingly familiar. The strong smell of burning gas, the rapid fire of weapons, and the creeping shadows of the enemy, the area around me seemed familiar but strange at the same time. The room had bunks in it, and a row of windows along one wall. Then there were bodies along the hallways and stairs. I struggled to get to the ammunition which I somehow knew what in the Sergeant’s office. Suddenly I was engaging the enemy, firing shots left and right as I strived for cover. Then something shoved me to the ground and I had the unusual feeling of being confused.

 

The person above me, was me. It was as if I was looking at my reflection but there were slight differences between what I saw in the mirror and what I was seeing now. I knew that I was attractive, with royal blood in me, and that many were mesmerized by my unusual eye color; but this vision was subtly different. The structure of my face was slightly more defined; the slope of my nose and the curve of my lips, the strength of my jawline and sharpness of my cheekbones. The shape of my eyes was more noticeable, lined with dark lashes and the color of my eyes... I could suddenly see every shade of silver and gray in them. I could now see how the color was constantly shifting against my now short blonde hair. The differences were small but it was enough to let me know what I had, unconsciously, slipped into someone else dreams. And the only person who was nearby that was asleep was the girl that could save or end the world. Startled, I realized that this was how she saw me and I was astonished by the amount of detail that she saw. With amazing clarity, she saw the world mostly for what it was. Then with a jolt, the vision of me was gone and her dreams became more panicked. It was dark and the weight of that darkness was suffocating. It was cold and, more importantly, I could sense her struggling efforts to breathe. With a strong pull, I shoved her dreams away and opened my eyes.

 

The girl on the bed was shivering uncontrollably, her slight body shaking the mattress with her. Mike came running in as she began to thrash and the machine's began to scream in alarm. He glanced between her and the machines before looking at me with a grim expression. “What is wrong with her?” I growled as I took and unconscious step towards the girl.

 

“I think there was a secondary poison, one that would begin to take affect if the antidote to the first was introduced into her system,” Mike replied grimly.

 

“What can you do to help her?” I demanded to know.

 

Mike ran his hand through his light brown hair. “We need to keep her warm,” he growled. “But with how she is shaking, she'll toss the blankets off in a few seconds. I can take a blood sample and run some tests and see what I can come up with but until then... It's all up to her.”

 

I looked down at her. Her eyebrows were pulled down in a pained expression and a small moan escaped her lips. That small sound reached deep inside me and wormed its way into my long dead heart. “What can I do to help?” I asked quietly as Mike stepped towards the girl with a needle to draw blood.

 

His head snapped up and he looked at me with a serious gaze. He looked like he wanted to say something but shook his head and stepped closer to the girl. “You can hold her,” he said matter of factually. “Your body heat and a few blankets will help her for now.”

 

I nodded with a sigh and steeled myself to hold her soft body. I slowly sat down on the bed and laid on my side behind her. I gently wrapped my arms around her and pulled her against me. I ground my teeth together to keep from cursing at the feeling of her soft body giving to my hard one. She began to shiver violently as my body heat, which ran a few degrees warmer than a human's, seeped into her skin. Mike smoothly extracted her arm from my grasp and quickly drew a vile of blood before giving me back her arm and laying a few blankets over us. He met my gaze and gave a brief nod of acknowledgment as he stepped around the bed and out of the room, heading towards the lab to run the blood.

 

I turned my attention back to the girl that I held gently in my arms. She felt fragile in my arms; she was so slight that I knew that I could crush her ribs with very little effort. The scent of her hair drifted to my nose, it's wild and mysterious scent teasing my senses. I tightened my arms around her, pulling her closer to me and bit back a groan when her sweet behind came in contact with my thighs. She was still shivering but not as violently as she had been. I could feel her muscles lock and then release when exhaustion overtook her body.

 

Eventually, she fell into an exhausted sleep and only shivered occasionally. I held her close and watched over her; telling myself that I refused to let her go because it was my duty to protect her when I knew that the truth was that I didn't want to let her go. Mike came in later during the night and set up an IV with a sedative and the antidote for the poison. He taped the IV to her skin so that she couldn't pull it out and laid another blanket over us. After he left, I stripped my shirt off and tossed it aside when I began to sweat. I watched her as the night slowly passed and, just as dawn began to break, I gave into the temptation and fell asleep; holding my charge close within the protection of my arms.

 

* * *

 

I was fairly comfortable when I woke up. The room was dark and, though I was warm, the air was cold where it touched my skin. I pulled the covers closer and then froze when I realized that I wasn't alone. Strong arms were wrapped around my waist and a hard warm body lay close behind me. I slowly turned my head and looked up at the person behind me. It was the same guy from earlier. His eyelashes were fanned against his cheekbones and his beautifully curved lips were slightly parted. His warm breath was a soft caress against my neck and the spicy scent of him mesmerized me. It was a woodsy smell, like a cloudy moonlit fall night when the natural spices that were used during Thanksgiving were fully grown. But there was a darker scent beneath that; a mysterious and haunting smell that appealed to a part of me that I had never known existed.

 

I slowly turned and looked around me, taking in the strange room that I was in. Fifteen beds were lined up in three rows of five, the entrance was on the far side of the room, closed off by two wooden doors; and a bay of windows stretched across the wall to my left. I could just make out the light from another room spilling into the dark room that I was in and the medical equipment that surrounded the head of the bed. I looked down at my wrist and winced at the sight of an IV needle tapped to my arm. The arms around me tightened slightly at the small movement and pulled me closer to his solid body.

 

The heat coming off his skin was soothing and comforting as I looked out the bay windows at the waning crescent moon. Millions of stars glimmered around the sliver of silver white in the deep, dark blue sky. I could just make out the snow capped peaks of mountains in the distance and the shimmering movement of a river at the bottom edge of the window. The view was peaceful, beautiful in its simplicity, and brought comfort to the part of me that was attracted to the darker scent of the guy behind me. I sighed and slowly closed my eyes as what I assumed to be a sedative began to ease me back to sleep.

 

* * *

 

I listened, quiet and unmoving, as the girl in my arms fell asleep again. It was a good sign that she had woken up and that she had immediately taken in her surroundings. I had nearly laughed when she winced at the IV in her arm. I had done that one myself a few times followed by ripping out the damn needle and fighting with Mike, who insisted I needed it and tried to put it back in. He was usually right because I never lasted long in those arguments since my body was weak from whatever hell I had put it though. I had a feeling that my charge and I had the same feeling about hospitals and infirmary: it was best to stay away from them. I looked up as the main door quietly clicked shut. Trina silently glided across the floor, much like how a cat moved seamlessly from place to place, and stopped in front of me. She looked down at the girl in my arms with critical judgment in her brown eyes before tossing her brown hair over her shoulder in a carefree way. “I take it then, that this is her?” she said in a normal tone of voice in complete disregard for the fact that my charge was sleeping.

 

“It is,” I whispered as I narrowed my eyes at her in warning.

 

“Well she certainly doesn't seem like much,” Trina sneered, her lips curling slightly. “She is rather boring to look at too.”

 

I ground my teeth together to keep from lashing out at Trina's callous words. Trina, like many of our females, had an ego that surpassed that of a human male's and believed everything and everyone to be beneath her; unless she chose you as being worthy. “Appearances can be deceptive,” I said harshly and quietly; unconsciously pulling the girl closer to me. “We all know that fact well.”

 

Trina's eyes narrowed in anger before widening in faux innocence. “I never meant any offense, Chris. I was merely stating that-”

 

“I know exactly what you meant,” I said over her. “And you know better than to call me 'Chris'. I broke the jaw of the last person who said it and don't think I will not do the same to you, Trina.”

 

Her mouth snapped closed and she turned stiffly and walked out of the room, slamming the door behind her. Mike walked out of his office at the noise and glared at the door. “I suppose the wicked witch has left,” he stated tersely.

 

Sighing, I nodded as he walked over to me and leaned against the window sill. “I hate that she is fixated on me,” I growled before taking a deep breath, pulling in the seductive scent of the girl's hair that was quickly becoming addictive to me. Wild and mysterious, warm like the comforting forests around this place; it all appealed to my keen senses.

 

Mike laughed. “You know it is because you are the best male available, not to mention the best Guardian in our history,” he chuckled, pulling me out of my thoughts.

 

“I never asked for her attention,” I muttered. “And to tell the truth, I'm damn tired of it. I've made it obvious that I want her to leave me be but all she sees is an invitation for more.”

 

“Damned if you do and damned if you don't, right?” Mike laughed in good humor. “I don't know what to tell you man. She wants you and no one else. She won't take anyone else.”

 

I looked into his green eyes and saw the truth of the secret knowledge he held. What he said was true, regardless of the fact that I didn't like it. Mike had a gift for reading thoughts and, in some cases, the future. How he got the talent, no one knows except that he has always had it. We all have gifts but Mike's could be a burden a majority of the time. “I know,” I sighed, my fingers lightly tracing feather light patterns on my charge's side. “I just wish it was different.”

 

Mike gave me a knowing look but refrained from saying anything. “She should wake up soon,” he stated casually as he changed the subject. “Her last blood test came through perfectly clean.”

 

“I hope so,” I smiled faintly. “I need to start training her soon.”

 

Mike smiled. “I pulled her file. Its really nothing much though a few tendencies stick out,” he baited smugly. “I think she will do well.”

 

The tone of his voice worried me because it said he was leaving something out, something that would probably end up biting me in the ass. “What are you up too?” I asked in annoyance.

 

“Nothing,” he grinned mischievously. “Yet.”

 

I shook my head and felt a smile on my face. “Whatever, man,” I said. “Just don't enjoy it too much. I will get you back for it.”

 

Mike laughed before stepping closer to the bed. He held a cotton ball and some tape in his hand. He placed those things on the edge of the bed before gently pealing off the tape holding the IV to my charge's arm. I winced at the sound and knew it hurt coming off though the girl didn't move. With quick efficiency, Mike gently removed the IV and taped the cotton over the small wound. “Her name is Ariel,” he said as he straightened.

 

I laughed at the irony if the name. “The lioness of God?” I said “I don't think I will be bored around her.”

 

“You won't be,” Mike smiled. “ 'Bored' is the last thing that you will ever be around her.”

 

I looked up at him as he walked away. He had seen a glimpse of my future and was amused by what he saw. I looked at the girl in my arms. Ariel, the name was fitting for her. She certainly looked like she could be a lioness but I also sensed that she could make herself nearly invisible if she wanted to. No, I wouldn't be bored around her. If anything, I would always be entertained. The wilder side of me hummed in contentment at the thought of staying around her long enough to be entertained. Again, the thought 'mine' drifted through me. Strange as it sounded, she was mine for the time being. She was my charge, mine to watch over and train. With a small smile, I closed my eyes and allowed my body to fall asleep.

 

* * *

 

**A/N: This concludes the first chapter of one of my many originals. Please let me know what you all think and if you would like for me to continue posting this story. I will be hesitant to post more if there is no feedback as I'll be inclined to think that you, my readers, did not enjoy this story. Please review and let me know what you all think.**

 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

 

I stretched out as I woke up, shoving aside the three comforters on top of me. I slowly opened my eyes and looked around the room that I vaguely remembered. The walls were painted an off white cream, the beds were a warm oak and were topped with white sheets and green comforters, and green curtains framed the windows in the wall to my left. Two oak doors broke the wall in front of me; one was closed and the far one was partially opened. I could just make out the edge of a desk so I assumed that it was an office of some sort. Beautifully taken photos of nature hung at regular intervals on the walls and the breathtaking view of hills and mountains made the room seem welcoming though the sterile smell screamed that this was a place of healing.

 

I sat up in the bed and yawned as my stomach growled in hunger. As I stood up, I tossed the covers off and looked down at what I was wearing. Gone were the bloody ACU pants, boots, and tee shirt; in their place was a soft light pink cotton tank top and comfortable black yoga pants. And as comfortable as I was, I was unnerved about who exactly had changed my clothes. I shook my head and shoved that thought aside as I walked around the room, gently massaging the bruised skin around the gauze that covered the IV wound on my arm. Sighing, I paused at the window and looked out at the view. Behind the trees, I could see the gently rise of hills before the rocky faces of mountains towered behind them in the distance. A strong and wide river wound around the hills before disappearing into the mountains and forest. The sky was a spotless blue and the deep green of the trees' leaves swayed in the breeze that danced through them and the blades of grass. The sun was shining cheerily and it's light looked inviting, like one of those spring afternoons back home when the weather was perfect for laying in a hammock and reading a book.

 

Suddenly, I had the feeling of being watched and I focused on the pane of the window to see the reflection of the room behind me. A figure stood beside the door that lead to the office that I had glanced in earlier; their bulk, height, and stance telling me that they were male. I watched him for a moment before returning my gaze to the view beyond the window, ignoring him while keeping tabs on him in the back of my mind.

 

“You know that I am here, don't you?” he asked a few moments later. I shrugged carelessly in reply. He chuckled and I heard his steps as he moved closer. “So you are more observant than someone who is in the center of the action,” he began as he leaned against the window sill to my right. “Someone who takes in the situation and facts surrounding it before making a decision on what to do. You prefer to be alone because you have learned how to survive that way, yet you are apt at being a part of a group. A contradiction; you are two sides of the same coin.”

 

I thought about what he said, accepting the facts as they came. He wasn't lying and, for a stranger who knew nothing about me, his statements were very accurate. Over time, I had learned to adapt to my environment, to blend in rather than stand out. I was what I needed to be; dominate or submissive in personality, unknown observer or known actor. “Do you disagree?” he asked, pulling me from my thoughts.

 

“No, I agree with you,” I stated simply.

 

Again, he laughed, the deep sound reminding me of a lion's growl. “You are surprising,” he said. “Most would argue the truth because they do not like it, rather than accepting it.”

 

“I am not most people,” I told him. “But accepting and listening are two different things. I listen to others more than I accept what they say is true.”

 

“A clear distinction,” he agreed. “The two are often misunderstood.”

 

I nodded. “Few people listen anymore; they hear and become defensive to whatever was said out of a misconceived slight,” I said calmly. “If they truly listened, then they would see that there is usually nothing to get defensive over.”

 

I saw him smile out of the corner of my eye and move. “My name is Michael,” he said warmly. “But most just call me Mike.”

 

I turned to look at him as he held out his hand in greeting. He was a few inches taller than me, probably around five eleven, and had a bulky build like a lacrosse player, not completely lean but not huge like some men tried to be. His brown hair was long enough to just brush his shoulders and his startling green eyes quietly watched me from a classically handsome face that any girl would fall for. He wore jeans with a tucked in polo and boots; comfortable clothes that were practical and professional. “Ariel,” I told him as I shook his hand. I caught a knowing look in his eyes and felt a small shock when our hands briefly met before he released me and stepped away.

 

“A pleasure to meet you,” he said cheerfully. “And I am glad to see that you have recovered.”

 

He turned and started to walked towards the double doors on the far side of the room that must have lead to the hallway and out of here. “What happened to me?” I asked just as he reached the doors.

 

He paused and looked over his shoulder at me. “I cannot say but your guardian will explain everything to you soon,” he evaded before walking through the door and locking it behind him.

 

I glared at the door and hurried to check and see if he really locked the door. The door didn't budge when I pulled on it. “Dammit,” I growled, smacking the door for good measure. Turning, I walked back to the window and glanced down. I was on the second floor, based off the distance between me and the ground, and a garden lay below the window with pebbled paths that people were walking around. Cursing again, I turned and glared around the room. What was I supposed to do now? I couldn't stay in this room and I needed to know where I was. What had happened to me? I remembered a fight in the barracks and then nothing. I needed to gather supplies and leave. Groaning in frustration, I ran my hands through my hair, wincing as my fingers caught a few tangles, and began pacing as I tried to think of a way out of this situation.

 

Time passed and I watched as the light in the room shifted and began to fade as the sun began to set. Just as the sky was painted with the brilliant colors of dusk, I heard voices drift through the doors. A few seconds later the lock snicked open and Mike walked in with another man in tow. I instantly recognized him though he was more breathtaking now than before. His steel gray eyes stood out in contrast to his tan skin and deep blue v-neck sweater. He wore faded blue jeans and black boots and his blonde hair was a little longer than it had been before; just reaching the nape of his neck and curling around his ears. Mike smiled knowingly and I glared at him in irritation. How did he know so much?

 

“Are you hungry?” he asked pleasantly, a teasing look in his eyes.

 

I crossed my arms over my chest. “Let me think,” I said coolly. “I've been locked in a room with few ways out and no food. My stomach has been growling since I woke up and I'd practically kill for a bag of potato chips, which I absolutely hate. So yes, I do think that I am hungry.”

 

Mike laughed aloud while the man beside him simply watched quietly, though the corner of his mouth twitched up. Mike held up a pair of pink flip flops and smiled. “Then lets go get something to eat,” he said sweetly, ignoring my sarcasm.

 

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Sweet doesn't become you,” I remarked in annoyance. “And who is this?”

 

Mike sighed and tossed the shoes at me which I caught reflexively. “Do you want food or not?” he asked.

 

Growling, I slipped on the flip flops and walked across the room to them. “Don't think you have gotten out of answering my question,” I warned him. He laughed and the guy beside him smiled which only made him more attractive.

 

“Follow us,” Mike said with a secret smile as he turned and lead us down the hall, his friend falling in behind me. He took us down a hall with deep brown hardwood floors and a red carpet to a foyer with a grand staircase. As we walked down the stairs, I took in the beautiful furnishings and giant crystal chandelier before being lead into a massive dining room on the left side of the foyer. The room seemed better fit for royal dinners than a casual one with a massive mahogany table that gleamed stretching the length of the room lined with matching chairs. A large hearth stood across the room from the doorway that we were standing in and was framed by large tall windows. Servers moved along the table with efficiency, getting food to groups of men that sat along the table's length. Mike lead us towards the head of the table to the left and sat down in the third chair on the left side. The man who was behind me moved around me and walked to the other side of the table to sit in the second chair. He motioned me to sit beside him and across from Mike.

 

I moved warily around the table, aware of the fact that conversation had stopped the second we stepped into the room and that everyone was watching me. I sat down quickly and looked at the polished silverware, crystal glasses, and fine china plates before me. Candles were lit along the center of the table to aid the chandelier in lighting the room. Mike smiled at me in reassurance before turning to the server who appeared behind his shoulder, speaking to her in a language that I had never heard before but felt strangely familiar. Once the server had walked away, Mike turned to me. “This,” he began, indicating the man beside me. “Is Christophe. He is your Guardian and leads your personal guard.” He pronounced the name chris-to-fey and the knowing gleam was back in his eyes. “If you look around, you will notice that there are no other females in this room besides those that are working. In our world, women are rare and are well protected as there are those that would try to harm them. Christophe is the best Guardian in our history and the Council has decided that he is to guard and train you. He is also my best friend and I know that you two will get along splendidly.”

 

Christophe snorted and reached for his glass, taking a sip of water. “I doubt that,” he muttered in a deep and rich baritone.

 

Mike shrugged with a smug smile. “Believe me or not,” he laughed. “The choice is yours.”

 

Christophe scowled at Mike as the server appeared and placed a plate before each of us. Meatloaf, corn, green beans, and dinner rolls were artfully arranged on the plates and Mike and Christophe began eating without hesitation. I stared at my food wondering at what Mike had told me. Why were women so rare? What was this 'world' that Mike spoke of? Why did I need the best Guardian in history? What was a guardian? My mind raced with thoughts and questions and, despite the delicious smelling food, I found that I wasn't really hungry. I picked at my food, merely moving it around on my plate as I thought, and hadn't realized that I had been tapping my fork on the plate until a hand gently covered mine. Startled, I looked up at Christophe. His hand was warm, like he had a fever, and engulfed mine. The calluses on his hands told me that he had probably spent years training and I could feel the strength in his grip but he held my hand still with a gentleness that surprised me. His eyes shifted from hard stone to an understanding liquid silver.

 

“You need to eat,” he said softly in a voice that felt like velvet over my skin. “ I know you may not feel like it but your body needs it. Listen to it, not your mind.”

 

I nodded slowly and relaxed as he let go of my hand to continue eating. I quickly glanced at Mike, who was trying not to laugh, and then began eating. I forced the first few bites down and then began to enjoy the food, being sure to take my time so that I wouldn't get sick. Soon, my plate was clear and I could feel the amusement of the two men around me. “Desert?” Mike asked with an innocent smile.

 

I sat back and smiled sweetly at him. “That depends on what it is,” I told him.

 

Christophe smirked. “Chocolate cake and ice cream, I believe,” he said casually.

 

“Then yes, I would,” I replied politely.

 

Mike nodded and two servers appeared, one to take away our plate and another to place the desert before us. The cake was a deep, rich, dark brown that every girl knew meant divine, melt in your mouth chocolate and was topped with a smooth chocolate icing that contrasted with the ivory of fresh vanilla ice cream. I picked up my spoon and scooped up some ice cream and cake for a cautious bite. My eyes closed as the warm cake met my taste buds and I couldn't help my sigh of happiness as I enjoyed the desert. I could practically feel the endorphins rush into my system in response to the heavenly chocolate. Opening my eyes, I reached for another bite when I caught Christophe and Mike watching me with two very different expressions. Mike looked like he could barely hold in his laughter. His shoulders shook with his silent laughs and his lips twitched from where he was trying not to smile. His green eyes were crinkled in the corners and sparkled like he knew a funny secret. Christophe's expression was one of rapt attention and curiosity. His eyes had darkened to nearly black and the muscles in his jaw twitched as he clenched his teeth. He held himself stiffly as if he was holding himself back from something. I glanced between the two of them in puzzlement before shrugging and returning to my wonderful desert.

 

Once I was done, I put my spoon down and leaned back with a sigh of disappointment. I glanced up at Mike who still looked like he was holding back laughter. “Are you done?” he asked in amusement. I nodded. “Then I need to be going,” he said as he stood. “Christophe will show you to your room and will answer your questions.”

 

I looked at Christophe doubtfully but nodded. I wasn't so sure about this since I could feel the irritation coming off Christophe in waves.

 

“I will see you at breakfast,” Mike said as he left the table.

 

I watched him disappear before turning to Christophe who was standing from his seat. “Follow me,” he ordered.

 

Pushing my chair back, I followed him out of the hall and back into the foyer. He lead me up the stairs and then to a smaller set of stairs that lead to the third floor. When we reached the top, he turned down the right side of the hall and took me to the end of the hall. He opened the last door on the left with a quick turn of his wrist and gentle shove before standing back and letting me enter first. “This will be your room,” he said as I passed him, subtly inhaling his unique scent as I did.

 

A short hallway opened to a large room. Directly in front of me was a couch and coffee table before a fireplace on the left wall that was flanked by bookcases. A desk was to my immediate right against the wall and the bed was tucked in the far right corner of the room. The walls were painted a dusty rose color and the hard oak floors gleamed from their polish. Carpets were strategically placed in the sitting area and by the bed with a running carpet stretching along the wall towards a pair of doors in the right corner. The furniture was made out of oak to match the floors and the fabrics in the room were patterns of gold and cream. Three pairs of french doors opened to a balcony and let the last light of the day filter into the room through their pulled back gold and sheer cream curtains. I walked slowly over to the large queen bed, letting my fingers run along the furniture as I passed. A mound of pillows were stacked neatly at the head of the bed and neat ivory sheets were exposed from under the turned down rose comforter with gold detail work. I pressed down on the soft mattress and knew that I would fall asleep the second I laid down on it. I mindlessly turned on the lamp on the nightstand before turning and exploring the two doors in the opposite corner.

 

The door directly in front of me opened into a walk in closet and the one beside the foot of the bed opened to reveal a huge bathroom. A marble counter stretched the length of the left wall with a sink and mirror. Cream tiles covered the floor until they met the marble of a jacuzzi bath on the right wall with a walk in shower beside it, the frosted glass obscuring the interior. A window above the bath and between the shower and counter let in some light but were frosted to allow for privacy. One last door to my right opened to a small room with the toilet. I walked back into the bedroom taking in the perfection of the room but the room smelled like a hotel room. It had nothing personal in it which made it feel unwelcoming despite its beauty. Christophe was sitting in the desk chair with his warms crossed casually over his chest and his legs stretched out and crossed before him. He looked at me with a blank expression though I thought that I could see a little bit of curiosity in his eyes.

 

“Do you like it?” he asked quietly in a voice that made a part of me long to curl up in his lap and be protected.

 

I shoved the thought out of my mind. “Its wonderful,” I said coolly. “Though it isn't very personal.”

 

He shrugged. “It belongs to you now. You may decorate it however you want.”

 

I nodded and looked out the french doors. The light of day had given way to the darkness of night and I could feel my body beginning to tell me that I was tired. “I need to get some sleep,” I murmured quietly.

 

Nodding, he stood with an easy grace and walked towards the door. “I'll leave you then. Someone will come wake you in the morning and provide you with some clothes,” he said as he opened the door. “Good night,” he said as he disappeared and closed the door.

 

I frowned before sighing and turning to walk towards the bed. I kicked my flip flops towards the closet and climbed onto the bed. I snuggled into the covers and welcomed the warmth as my muscles slowly relaxed. Just before I drifted off I wondered about what the hell was going to happen next.

 

* * *

 

I stared at the ceiling before rolling restlessly to my side. A few endless minutes later, I rolled onto my back again. Growling, I threw back the covers in agitation and walked out the doors to the balcony. I welcomed the cool night air on my bare chest and the cold stone beneath my feet. The night sky was dark and the stars twinkled in welcome, beckoning me to come fly among them. I slowly let my senses take on the sharpness of the beast's within me, bringing the world around me into clearer focus. I could smell the faintest of scents, hear the smallest and almost soundless noises in the world, taste the flavors of the air and feel the gentle caress of air on my skin. Everything was amplified to an astounding level and the beast inside me hummed in contentment at being allowed to see the world with his senses.

 

I heard approaching footsteps and unconsciously moved away from the sound and into the closest room along the long balcony that was shared. I had just closed the glass door when the faint seductive scent of mysterious forests drifted to me. I slowly turned and let the beast's night vision bring the room into focus and out of the shadows. In the bed in the corner, tucked away under the rose and gold covers, Ariel slept quietly. She was sleeping on her side, facing me, with one hand resting on the pillow in front of her and the other on her waist. Her long gold blonde hair was fanned out across the pillow and her light brown eyelashes brushed her cheeks. Her pink lips were slightly parted as she breathed deeply and slowly as she slept.

 

With a suddenness that was surprising, the beast leapt to the forefront of my mind and took control, shoving me to the passenger seat. He slowly walked over to Ariel, stopping when our legs brushed the mattress, and looked down at her. He took in the multiple hues of her hair, the flawlessness of her skin, and natural beauty. With an unusual gentleness, he reached out and gently touched her wrist, feeling the pulse under the fragile skin. Her pulse resonated though out our body, our own heartbeat slowing to match hers.

 

The beast pulled back when Ariel sighed and rolled onto her other side, giving us her back. The beast growled quietly in my mind and slowly sat down on the edge of the bed. When he reached out I could see that my fingers had shifted into talons and I began to worry about what the beast was thinking. But before I could move to regain control, he wrapped his will around me and kept me in place. I watched as he reached out with a talon extended and slowly ran the tip along the faint indention of Ariel's spine. Surprisingly, instead of shying away from the point, Ariel arched her back with a faint sigh and pressed her head into the pillow, slightly exposing her neck and shoulder. The beast hummed in pleasure and leaned forward, burying our nose in the junction of her neck and shoulder, breathing in the intoxicating smell that was Ariel. Both the beast and I were hypnotized by the wonderful spicy and innocent smell, pulled in by the promises that it kept hidden.

 

Suddenly, a cool brush of air drifted across out back and the beast jerked off the bed and crouched before it, defensively facing the french doors. I could feel my body begin to shift and pitted my will against the beast's. Only the reminder that it took space to shift and that he could harm what he saw as his allowed me to regain control. I blinked several times as my vision returned to normal before I was able to focus on the shadowed figure standing just inside the open door.

 

“What are you doing, Chris?” Mike asked quietly as he stepped slowly into the moonlight.

 

The beast growled and I tightened my control over it. “I'm not sure,” I replied honestly as I shook my head in irritation. I had never had to fight this hard for control. We had always coexisted peacefully and gotten along. “He's never done this before.”

 

Mike nodded slowly and cautiously stepped forward, knowing that a guardian at odds with his inner beast was a very dangerous thing. “What is he doing?” Mike asked.

 

I snorted in frustration. “Can't you tell?” I growled.

 

Mike shook his head. “I can read your thoughts and the others of my kind, but I only get occasional impressions from your beast.”

 

I sighed and dropped the defensive stance. “He is restless. He took control and wanted to touch her. He pushes to be near her and claim her.” I sat down on the floor and leaned against the bed. “We've always been in accord until now. This hasn't happened before. Damn time for him to discover hormones.”

 

Mike cracked a grin but I could see his mind working through his eyes. “It is possible that he senses one of his own within her,” he said slowly.

 

I narrowed my eyes at him in anger. “I am the last of my bloodline,” I said harshly. “And therefore, the last of my kind. There has never been a female in my line, ever. It isn't possible for her to be.”

 

“Which line did you trace her back to?” Mike questioned.

 

“The original line.”

 

He nodded. “The original line of our race, the one that legend tells could take any beast's form,” he reminded me. “I wouldn't be surprised if she was one of yours.”

 

“You can't tell?” I asked in confusion. It was rare that Mike's gift failed him.

 

“It is too soon for me to be able to,” he replied and held out a hand. “Come on. You need sleep and I doubt Ariel would appreciate waking up to you sitting against her bed in nothing but boxers.”

 

I snorted with a grin. “I'd actually like to see that reaction.”

 

“You definitely have a death wish,” Mike laughed. “Now come on. You will get plenty of time with her later.”

 

I growled at him for reading my thoughts and shoved myself to my feet, ignoring his hand, and walked to the door. Mike walked through and I paused before following him, looking back at Ariel. She was still facing the wall but she looked small and fragile in the big bed. The beast growled in anger at the thought of leaving her alone but I knew that Mike was waiting and that Ariel really wouldn't appreciate waking up to me in the room. Sighing, I closed the door and turned to find Mike leaning against the railing with a strange look on his face. “What?” I asked.

 

He shook his head and looked tired. “Nothing you need to worry about right now,” he said as he stood up. “Just get some sleep.”

 

I watched him walk down the balcony and disappear into his room before returning to mine, leaving the door cracked open to let in some of the night air. Sighing, I got back into bed and listened to the natural music of the night. The beast within me calmed slightly as the night gradually wore on and I was grateful when I finally fell asleep.

 

* * *

 

**A/N: And there is the next chapter. Please let me know what you think about it in a Review.**

 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

 

I woke up before dawn as I had been doing for the past few months. With only a little soreness in my muscles, I climbed out of bed and stretched in the dark room. I felt along the side of the bed for the nightstand and flicked on the small lamp, allowing it to dimly illuminate the room. Everything was as it had been the night before, though the room was cooler than I thought it should be, almost as if someone had opened a window. Shaking my head to clear it, I glanced around for the clean clothes that Christophe had said would be delivered today and sighed when I didn't see them. I guess I'm up before everyone else, I thought to myself and with nothing else to do I decided to stretch and do some yoga to loosen my muscles.

 

Ten minutes into my workout, a knock sounded at the door. I pushed myself out of downward dog and glided across the room to open the door. Mike stood on the other side, fully awake and dressed, with a stack of clothes and pair of shoes in his arms. I smiled at him. “Good morning,” I greeted.

 

He laughed. “Good morning. I see you are up bright and early.”

 

“Its what I'm used to,” I stated with a shrug.

 

“Well I believe you will be needing these,” he said lifting the clothes. “May I come in?”

 

I stepped aside and opened the door further and nodded. “Sure. I wouldn't know what to do with myself after I dressed anyway.”

 

“I'd be more than happy to take you down to breakfast and keep you company until Christophe gets up,  
he offered as he stepped inside and I closed the door.

 

“That would be great,” I said as I took the clothes from him. “I'll be just a few minutes.” He nodded and sat down at the desk, making himself comfortable. After quickly brushing my teeth, I changed into a comfortable pair of jeans and a stretchy cotton red tee shirt with an ivory Dream Angel Victoria Secret bra and neat red flats. When I looked in the mirror, I was startled at how light my hair had become and had forgotten how wavy and curly it was naturally. Gentle light blonde waves hung angelically around my face; emphasizing my delicate bone structure, wide open eyes, and pink lips. The red of the shirt brought out the peach ivory of my skin tone and the cooler copper tones in my hair. I felt more feminine that I had in a long time and was surprised by the feeling. I shook my head and ran my fingers through my hair to remove a few tangles as I walked out of the bathroom.

 

“Ready?” Mike asked, his green eyes seeming to glow a little as he smiled and stood.

 

“Yep,” I said as I let my hands fall to my side. “Who bought these?” I asked as he held the door open for me.

 

“Our recovery unit went back to the base and collected your things,” he said as he lead me to the dining room. “We recovered your personal bag with your civilian clothes inside from storage. One of our stylists looked at your sizes and bought you a few things that will last until Christophe can take you shopping.”

 

We walked into the dining room and sat down in the same spots that we had been in for dinner the night before. I looked around as Mike ordered our breakfast. The room was fuller than it had been last night and almost everyone in the room was male; only a few servers were women. They were all good looking and well muscled, most having the look of a disciplined soldier and professional athlete. They all had the remains of giantly proportioned meals before them as they nursed cups of coffee and joked amongst themselves. “They are all Guardians or members of a Guard,” Mike said with amusement as he noted my distraction. I turned to look at him, tilting my head like I usually did when I was curious about something. “Most of them get up early to do a personal workout before returning to their charges for the day. The Guardians are always with their charges, except for a few hours late at night to sleep, and each charge has a main Guard that rotates shifts with a secondary Guard on standby.”

 

“And Christophe is my Guardian?” I asked as a server placed a plate of french toast, eggs, sausage, and orange juice in front of me. Mike nodded. “Then where is he now?” I asked, picking up my fork and stabbing a few eggs.

 

Mike smiled mischievously. “He had a few challenges to face last night that left him a little worse for wear,” he chuckled. “He is sleeping in a little bit. We doubted that you would be up this early anyway.”

 

I took a bite of french toast. “Why?” I asked before trying the sausage to see if it was spicy.

 

“What is the last thing you remember before waking up here?” Mike questioned in a quick change of topic.

 

I thought back to that night. The smell of gunfire, the rapid loud bursts of noise and explosions. Christophe shoving me out of the way and to safety. “The last thing I remember,” I started slowly. “Was knocking Christophe to the ground to keep him from being killed.”

 

Mike nodded sagely. “You were graze by the bullet meant for him,” he said evenly. “It was laced with a primary and secondary poison that would activate in the presence of the antidote to the primary poison. The poison rendered you unconscious within a minute and, by the time Christophe got you out of there ten minutes later, you were critical. An entire team of medics helped you fight the primary poison. A day or so later the secondary poison took effect and I had to work quickly to formulate an antidote. I kept you heavily sedated for another day or two before clearing your system. It's been four days since the attack on the base.”

 

I stared at him for a few minutes, my food completely forgotten. Four days since that night. How was it possible that I had been unconscious for two to three days? “What happened to the others?” I asked quietly, a part of me already knowing the answer.

 

“The enemy don't leave any survivors,” a voice behind me said coolly. I turned and looked into a pair of steel gray eyes. “They never leave survivors. Even the most experienced of infantryman would not last long against them.”

 

Christophe sat down beside me with a cup of coffee held between his hands. He was wearing a tight fitting black shirt, black cargo pants, and black combat boots. In straight black, his eyes seemed darker and the pupils slightly elongated; which was strange considering I could have sworn they were normal last night. He looked ready for battle and met my gaze with a challenge in his. He wanted to know how I would react to this news; wanted to know if I would shy away from it or take it in acceptance. “Well I got away this time so there was one survivor,” I said matter of factually as I returned to eating.

 

Mike choked back a laugh and took a big bite of french toast. I thought I heard a deep growl coming from Christophe but dismissed the notion. It was too animalistic to come from a person. “You almost didn't,” he countered.

 

“But I did so you can't say that they have never left behind a survivor,” I challenged, meeting his gaze with a cool reproach in mine.

 

This time I definitely heard Christophe growl. The sound was deep and reminded me of the growls that I had heard in a movie from a dragon; a deep rumble that shook your bones and made you freeze in caution. As I held his gaze, I watched his pupils elongate even more, almost becoming cat-like or reptilian in shape. Mike snorted and laughed aloud. Christophe turned to glare at him, causing Mike to laugh harder. “She won this one, my friend,” Mike chuckled. “No doubt about it.”

 

With a muffled curse, Christophe stood and motioned for me to follow him. “We have things to do and only so long to do them,” he called as he walked around the table.

 

“A little bossy, isn't he?” I asked Mike as I stood to follow Christophe. Mike shrugged with a grin and a small wave.

 

Christophe lead me into the main foyer before turning down a corridor that branched off to the right. We passed three hallways on the left before turning down the fourth and stopping at the fifth door on the right. A small black haired, violet eyed, pixie looking woman opened the door before Christophe could knock and welcomed us inside. “Christophe, it's such a pleasure to see you,” she said cheerfully before narrowing her eyes at him. “Though I hate your wardrobe at the moment.”

 

Christophe smiled evilly. “Exactly why I wore it, 'Manda,” he said happily. The woman glared at him, completely ignoring me. “ 'Manda, this is my charge, Ariel,” Christophe said, waving his hand at me.

 

The woman turned and looked at me, he gaze wondering critically over my body with a hint of jealous hatred leaking into its violet depths. “Hi,” she said in false cheerfulness. “I'm Amanda. It's a pleasure to meet you.”

 

I simply nodded my head and remained quiet, letting Christophe take the lead. “She needs clothes since most of her's were destroyed in the fire,” Christophe said smoothly as he sat down in a lounge chair along the wall across from a flat screen TV mounted on the opposite wall. “I figured that you could help her out.”

 

“Of course I can,” Amanda said with a smile that I had seen plenty of times before. “I'd be more than happy to help. Come on,” she laughed as she grabbed my arm and dragged me to a door on the other side of the room. “Let's get you some clothes.” She pulled me into another room that was filled with all kinds of clothes and shes before closing the door on Christophe with a fake laugh and smile. As soon as the door was shut, she turned on me with a glare. “I don't know who you think you are but stay away from my Christophe,” she hissed. “And don't think for one second that I will help you.”

 

I shrugged and began working my way through the racks. “That's fine,” I told her nonchalantly. “I'd rather pick my own clothes anyway.”

 

I saw Amanda's jaw drop in astonishment out of the corner of my eye and bit back a smile. I had dealt with too many mean girl wanna-bees like her to be phased by her childish antics. “Why you little-”

 

She but back her remark as the door opened and Christophe looked in. I continued look through the clothes as he looked around the room. “Don't forget to get workout and combat clothes,” he said to me. I nodded and he turned to Amanda. “And this door stays open,” he told her in a commanding tone.

 

Amanda gaped at him as he returned to his spot on the chair. With a childish huff, she walked to the back of the room and then into another room. “The changing rooms are back here,” he voice called out.

 

I smiled at the sound of a slamming door before returning to the clothes in front of me. I slowly worked my way through the racks, pulling down jeans, yoga pants, soffes, tank tops, tee shirts, some nicer dress tops, belts, and shoes to try on as I went. By the time I made it to the changing rooms, my arms were overflowing with clothes to try on and I eased a door open with my elbow to drop the pile of clothes on a neat bench in the corner of the changing room. I began sorting through the clothes, combining them into outfits, before stripping off my clothes and trying them on one at a time. In the end, I chose ten pairs of jeans, ten tank tops in multiple colors, six shirts, a handful of nice shirts, two belts, four workout outfits, tennis shoes, dress shoes, and flip flops. I glared at the pile of clothes and opened the door to ask Christophe to help me carry everything and almost tripped over a nondescript dark blue suitcase with my name on the tag. With an exasperated sigh, I picked up the suitcase and laid it on the dressing room floor to pack it. Once I was done, I dragged it out to where Christophe was waiting.

 

He was lounging in the chair, watching ESPN, with a black duffel and backpack laying at his feet. He looked up when I walked in with the suitcase rolling behind me. “Ready?” he asked as he stood.

 

“Sort of,” I answered. “I don't have toiletries or underwear yet.”

 

“I know,” he replied as he slung the backpack over one shoulder and picked up the duffel. “We will stop along the way to get you those things.”

 

I followed him silently as he lead me through a maze of hallways and stair to an underground garage. He plucked a set of keys off a shelf as he passed and walked over to a sleek Mustang. He popped the trunk and tossed in his bags carelessly before taking mine and gently placing it in the trunk. I looked at him curiously but he simply shrugged and closed the trunk before walking around the car and opening the passenger door. Again, I glanced at him curiously as I climbed into the car and buckled myself in as he closed the door and walked around to get in the driver's side. He started the car and drove down an underground driveway while connecting his phone to the Mustang's blue-tooth. Just as the song Diary of Jane by Breaking Benjamin began to play, we drove up a ramp and into the dawn's light. I looked around as I listened to the song's weaving music. Trees surrounded us, their lovely green leaves brightening as the sun rose. The driveway ended on a two lane road and, once Christophe turned right onto it, he floored it and let the engine roar. Trees flashed past us at terrifying speeds but he handled the car's power with flawless ease.

 

“Where are we going?” I asked quietly as the song changed.

 

“We are going to stop in a nearby town before going to the airport to catch out flight,” he said distantly.

 

I sighed in annoyance. “If you didn't want me to know then you could have just said so, Chris,” I growled as I closed my eyes and began to focus on the music.

 

He made the same growling sound that he had made at breakfast. “Don't call me Chris,” he hissed.

 

“Why?” I asked sweetly. “Does it bother you?”

 

“Yes,” he muttered darkly.

 

“Good. Then get used to it, Chris.” He growled again in anger but I just reached for the volume on the dashboard and turned up the music. He mumbled something under his breath in a foreign language but I ignored him and listened to the lovely, loud melody of the song playing.

 

* * *

 

This drive is taking longer than usual, I thought darkly as I pushed the beast back for the tenth time. He was a persistent fucker that was for sure. I barely paid attention to the roads as I tried instead to focus on caging the beast and not staring or looking at Ariel. She had her eyes closed and her head tilted back against the headrest as she sang along to whatever was playing on the radio. She seemed to be trying to focus on anything but the speed we were traveling at. Her voice rose and fell in unique harmony to the song, haunting tones in her voice hinting at a harsh and painful past that had left plenty of scars.

 

I took in a deep breath and forced my gaze away from her and back to the road. I thought about how she had called me Chris and, though I usually hated the nickname, hearing it from her was different. From her, the common nickname took on a secretive and seductive meaning tone and I almost didn't mind it so long as she was the one saying it. The sound of approaching tires jerked me from my thoughts and made me tap the breaks, slowly bringing the car back to normal speeds. Thankfully, traffic would pick up soon and I would be able to get away from Ariel's seductive scent. I took a deep breath, pulling in her scent, and the beast hummed in appreciation. She smelled wonderful, a strange mix of innocent and seduction. I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye and couldn't help but notice how lovely she looked with her head back and neck exposed. The length of her neck beckoned me to kiss and nip at it's length causing the beast to growl hungrily.

 

The song changed as we reached the city limits and I listened to the soothing sound of her voice as she sang along, trying to distract the beast's thoughts from the hungry direction they were heading. It amazed me that she could harmonize with the music or blend her voice seamlessly into the song. She did it with such unconscious ease that it made me wonder why she didn't sing as often as she could. The beast hummed, distracted, and settled into the background to contentedly listen to her voice.

 

I pulled into the mall's parking lot and shut off the engine. “We're here,” I said shortly as I turned the blue-tooth off on my phone.

 

“I can see that,” Ariel snipped back as she opened her door, letting in the unpleasant smell of rubber, gas, and smog.

 

I climbed out of the car and locked it behind me before leading her into the mall. Once inside, I lead her to the two most feminine stores in the world: Bath and Body Works and Victoria's Secret, which were conveniently right next to each other. Without hesitation, I walked into Bath and Body Works and looked around at the barely full store. “Get what you want,” I told her as she paused beside me. “Don't worry about the prices. If you want something else, then we can get it afterwords.”

 

Ariel nodded and began working her way around the store. I shadowed her and tried not to breathe too deeply and inhale the chaotic aroma of dozens of scents. Even though I had told her not to worry about the prices, I caught her looking and comparing them. Thankfully, she seemed to already know what scents she likes and walked straight to them. She picked up a bottle and smelled it before putting it back with a smile. Finally, she picked up two bottles of Twilight Woods lotion and a bottle of Japanese Cherry Blossom before walking to the counter. I paid for it all with a company card and then lead her to Victoria's Secret, making sure the store was safe before returning to her side to shadow her again.

 

She paused by the first rack of bras and turned to glare at me. “Don't tell me that you are going to stick to me like glue again,” she said with a hint of steel in her voice causing the beast within me to take notice.

 

I stepped closer and looked down into her mesmerizing eyes and watched as they shifted from a sea green to a stormy blue-gray. “You are my charge,” I told her quietly. “I will not leave you alone in a public place. I know it's probably uncomfortable having me with you while you shop but you will have to get used to it.”

 

Her glare sharpened and her eyes shifted back to a sea green. “Fine,” she snapped. “But at least give me space.”

 

Sighing, I took a few steps back and motioned for her to continue shopping. If looks could kill, I'd have been a dead man on the floor but I simply chuckled at her anger. She stormed around the store at first before attempting to ignore me as she looked over bras and lingerie. Eventually, I backed off a little more as I took in her steel straight spine and the stiff set of her shoulders. I glanced around and noticed a few of the more revealing sets of lingerie in the store. I couldn't help imagining her in a few of them; imagining how sexy a lace cream bra would look cupping her breasts or how white lace underwear would contrast against her ivory skin. With each seductive piece I saw, not only did the beast's hunger grow, but my own desire clouded my thoughts.

 

Ariel began walking towards the dressing rooms, pulling me from my lust clouded thoughts. A sales representative showed her into the rooms and out of my sight. I slowly approached the doorway to the dressing room hall and leaned against one of the white dressers set into the wall to wait. I stretched out my hearing until I could clearly hear Ariel's soft voice as she spoke with the representative.

 

“It looks good on you,” the lady said happily. “The color brings out your natural skin tones. You should get it.”

 

“I suppose so,” Ariel said uncertainly. “I do like the pattern.”

 

“Then get it,” the lady laughed. “And who is that hottie that you were with?”

 

I smiled and waited patiently to see what Ariel would say. I was aware of what the fairer sex thought about my looks and I wanted to see if she agreed. “What hottie?” she asked in a preoccupied tone.

 

“The tall, blond, gray eyed, ripped, drool worthy god that had been following and staring at you since you walked in,” the lady explained in exasperation. “Who is he? Oh, is all of this for him?”

 

Ariel laughed, a tone in the sound making the hair on the back of my neck stand up. “I don't know about all of that,” she giggled. “He is more annoying than anything else and, no, none of this is for him.”

 

“Well then why is he following you then?” the lady asked suspiciously.

 

“He is my ride,” Ariel answered in irritation. “He is a friend of one of mine and his friend made him give me a ride.”

 

I felt some of my pride take a hit at her words. Annoying was I? “Oh well that was nice,” the sales lady said in disappointment at being deprived of her chance at gossip. “Is there anything else I can help you with or are you okay for now?”

 

I but back a growl at the woman's suddenly short and polite tone. I may be a little angry at Ariel over her words but no one should speak to her that way. “I'm good,” Ariel said in dismissal. “Thanks for the help.”

 

“Alright, just call if you need anything,” the representative said as the door clicked open and shut. When she walked back into the store, her eyes widened at seeing me waiting patiently beside the hallway. I glared at her, sending her scampering across the store in fear, muttering under her breath, “there's no way he's a distant friend; he's too protective.” I let out a soft chuckle at her statement and shook my head. I don't suppose I'll ever understand women, I thought and the beast rumbled in agreement.

 

A few minutes later, Ariel emerged from the dressing rooms and walked by me as if I wasn't there as she headed towards the register. With an amused sigh, I followed her and made a show of covering my eyes while the cashier rang up what she was buying. “He's a keeper,” the cashier laughed. I heard Ariel sigh in aggravation and bit back a laugh at her discomfort. Once the cashier gave the total, I uncovered my eyes and paid with the company card again while Ariel took the bag.

 

“Is there anything else?” I asked as we left the store.

 

She paused before nodding. “I need to stop by Sally's and Wal-mart,” she said flatly.

 

Nodding, I lead her back to the car and took her to the two stores she requested. Sally's was a quick trip since she walked in, picked up what she needed, and took it to the counter. She bought shampoo and conditioner, a leave in conditioner, and some kind of cream. I glanced at her long, silky hair and understood that she wanted to take care of it. At Wal-mart, she bought razors, a toothbrush and paste, Dove body wash, a brush, and comb. While we were leaving Wal-mart, I couldn't help but notice how she hated having me behind her and constantly surveyed her surroundings. She hated being in crowds, I realized as I took in her tense shoulders. By the time we returned to the car, I felt like had I taken a hammer and tapped her shoulder, she would have shattered.

 

As we bought what she needed, I packed it in her suitcase, and I was glad to see her begin to relax around me as the day passed. By the time we reached the airport, she almost looked me in the eye as we spoke. We passed quickly through check in and security before making our way to the right gate. We stopped at a small Panara for lunch before I lead her into the VIP club near the appropriate gate to wait for our flight. I settled down on a plush couch in the quiet lounge and indicated for her to sit beside me. She looked uncertain for a minute before sitting at the other end of the couch. I sighed and watched as she pulled out a book that I hadn't noticed in her personal bag and began to read. While she read, she would occasionally look up and watch the people in the lounge and I smiled at her. She was being cautious and I knew that it was a trait that might one day save her life, she already knew how to keep aware of her surroundings so I wouldn't need to teach that to her.

 

We waited for a few hours before our flight was called. I lead her to the flight attendant who escorted us onto the jet. She showed us our seats, asked if we needed anything, and closed the hatch before she disappeared into the attendant bay. I looked at Ariel and smirked at how uncomfortable she looked in a private jet. “It's better if you relax,” I said with unusual gentleness.

 

She looked up at me, startled. “If you say so,” she retorted with an eye roll.

 

I smiled at her attitude as she took my advice and leaned into the leather chair. With a steady patience, I watched her out of the corner of my eye as we taxied down the taxiway before swallowing back a laugh as she fell asleep before we powered down the runway for take off. When the flight attendant came out, I denied her offer of a drink and told her to wake me an hour before dinner. Once she left, I settled into my own chair and closed my eyes to catch a nap.

 

* * *

 

I watched Christophe sleep through my lashes. He seemed to be perfectly relaxed with his long legs stretched out in front of him and his fingers laced on his stomach while his head rested against the seat. He looked like nothing could wake him but I knew that all it would take was an unusual sound to do the trick. He was obviously too highly trained to not be a light sleeper. Making sure to stay quiet, I unbuckled and stood up to explore the small jet.

 

It was nice with plush leather seats and sofa benches. A small dinning table and chairs were grouped by a mounted TV and a hallway leading further into the jet were to my left. I wondered down the hall to a door on the right. I looked back at Christophe to make sure he was still asleep before silently slipping inside the room. Two windows let in enough light t illuminate the room. A queen size bed was centered between the windows with a nightstand on either side and hunter green blankets were pulled back to reveal matching sheets. Another door stood to the right of the bed, leading to a small bathroom complete with a shower and toilet. Closet doors were closed on the bed's left, hiding our suitcases with professional courtesy. A flat screen TV was mounted on the wall to face the bed, giving the room a homey feel. With a relieved sigh, I sat down on the bed and leaned back against the headboard. I grabbed the remote and turned on the TV to a Netflix menu. With a few searches, I found the movie Eragon to watch. Selecting it, I sat back and tried to relax into the movie.

 

The feel of the bed depressing startled me into alertness. My eyes snapped open and met Christophe's molten silver gaze. His pupils were elongated again and the color seemed to swirl almost as if something else besides Christophe was watching me. “Sorry,” he said roughly, an array of faint voices underlying his. He cleared his throat. “I didn't mean to wake you up,” he finished in a normal voice though his pupils remained elongated.

 

I slowly sat up. “It's fine,” I said quietly. “I hadn't meant to fall asleep.”

 

He nodded but didn't drop my gaze. “I know. Sometimes your body does what it needs to,” he said slowly. “It happens.”

 

I watched as his pupils constricted to almost slits. It startled me but didn't frighten me. He tensed and held perfectly still while seeming to fight an internal battle. With a shudder, I watched as his features sharpened and his muscles bulked up slightly. He shifted forward with the ease of a tiger and, when he lifted his hand to brush my hair out of my face, I saw that his fingers had changed into talons. I didn't move as he ever so gently caressed my neck with the tips of his talons. I shivered as I remembered my dream from last night and warmth flooded my body. I had dreamed about someone surrounding me with strength and that something sharp had run down my spine in a test to see if I would run or fight. I watched Christophe's eyes and felt that same presence from my dream. Suddenly, I felt like the person before me wasn't the same as the one that I had met before.

 

He moved forward, kneeling on the bed beside me, and gently held my face in his hands. His warm palms made me shiver as his heat seeped into my skin. He tilted my head back and slowly buried his face in the space between my shoulder and throat. I felt a deep rumble vibrate though him and into me and closed my eyes in pleasure as an unknown side of me rose to the surface. His breath was warm as it ghosted across my chest and, when he pulled back a few minutes later, his eyes sparked with power. He looked into my eyes and froze as if startled before jerking back and standing beside the bed.

 

He held himself tensely and closed his eyes as he waged his internal battle again. Slowly, like fading sunlight, his features and fingers returned to normal and, once he opened his eyes, the pupils were round. “Dinner will be ready in about an hour,” he said tersely before walking out of the room.

 

I stared at the door in puzzlement. What was Christophe? How could he have talons and slitted, almost reptilian pupils? And what had I done to startle him so much? I shook my head to clear the millions of questions beginning to gather and tried to convince myself that it had imagined it. I stood and stretched as the plane hit turbulence and sent me stumbling into the wall. With a faint growl, I regained my footing and walked into the main cabin. Christophe was talking, in the same language that Mike had to the server at dinner, on the phone while pacing angrily across the small space. I paused just inside the hallway to give him some space to work out his apparent anger and to hide form it since I had the feeling that his anger was aimed at me. With a low growl, he ended the call and looked over at me.

 

His eyes were nearly black, almost blending in with his pupils. He stood rigidly and, with black clothes on, looked very dangerous and intimidating. He opened his mouth to say something when the plane jerked and dived sharply. I was thrown back and would have hit the wall if Christophe hadn't suddenly appeared behind me. He wrapped his arms around me protectively as split second before the plane rolled. Glass, ice, pillows, and remotes flew through the air, hitting walls and us as we were tossed around like rag dolls. Finally, the plane evened out and we fell to the floor. Christophe rolled so that he took the bulk of the force behind the fall before twisting so that he was above me. I met his eyes for a second, completely bewildered by what was happening. His eyes were a solid granite silver that looked like it could break diamond and his face was grim as he held his body tense above me. The air was eerily quiet, like the calm before the storm. “Christophe,” I whispered quietly.

 

He met my gaze and smiled gently. Suddenly, the plane dipped sharply with the sound of an explosion. With a terrible screeching sound, part of the metal wall by the wing was ripped back and, with a jerk, I was picked up and tossed into open air, twenty thousand feel up, without a parachute. I looked up at the plane and watched in horror as the last engine caught fire and exploded. But what I saw next completely changed my world...

 

* * *

 

 

**A/N: Another chapter down. Please let me know what you all think. Please Review.**

 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

 

With one last order, I ended my call and looked up. Ariel stood half way hidden in the hallway, her eyes were cautiously guarded and she held her body carefully as if to not draw attention to herself. I was just about to call her closer when something exploded and the plane suddenly dropped. I saw her flying through the air and summoned the beast's strength forward. With a powerful jump, I leapt between her and the wall. I wrapped my arms around her and tried to keep my body between her and the hard objects flying through the air as best I could. The beast lunged for control and I bit back a growl, fighting him back as the plane leveled. After falling to the floor and taking as much of the impact as I could, I met her quiet gaze, almost wincing at the bewilderment in her gaze. She quietly whispered my name and I couldn't help but smile at the wonderful sound of my name on her lips. Then, with the sound of another explosion and the screech of tearing metal, she was jerked out of my arms but the rush of air out of the jet. I saw the terrified look on her face as she was tossed into open air and felt my heart stop. With a final shudder, I closed my eyes in defeat and let the beast loose.

 

He leapt to the front of my mind while my body shifted to his form, humming in thanks for the free reign. I resisted just enough to let him know that it was by choice and heard his quiet growl of a laugh. We finished shifting and he stretched his wings out just as the plane exploded around us. He welcomed the strength that the fire gave him and let out a joyous roar before diving through the flames and down to the one that was his.

 

Ariel was hundreds of feet below us, looking up at us ans the destroyed plane. Her hair sparkled in the sunlight as I blew up around her face and we heard her sharp intake of breath at the sudden sight of us. With slow uncertainty, the beast brought us closer until we flew just above her. Her wide eyes danced over his body; taking in the sharp teeth and talons, the reptilian eyes, the thickly muscled and scaled body, and leathery wings. Then her eyes shifted like they had on the plane. The color deepened to an indescribable stormy blue-gray and rich sea green as her pupils widened before elongating into reptilian slits like mine did when the beast struggled for control. The beast rejoiced at the sign of another if it's kind and reached out to hold her securely in our claws. She didn't panic or struggle against us but instead spread her fingers out on our scales and explored what she could reach. The beast hummed in pleasure and dipped our wings to fly to the east and into the dying light.

 

* * *

 

My mind was still turning over the fact that I was being held by a real dragon so that my thoughts wouldn't turn to the fact that the dragon had Christophe's slitted eyes. I had explored the dragon's body within my reach to be sure that it was real and that I wasn't dead; traced the black scales, fingered the sharp talons, and felt the feverish heat from its body. It was real, no matter how much my mind screamed about the impossibility. It seemed friendly too. Go figure, a friendly dragon, I thought to myself. But I knew that if I had been given a choice, I would have taken the dragon over falling thousands of feet to my death. It's huge wings carried it's large body easily as they flapped at a steady beat and it's black scales blended in with the darkening sky. It held me gently to it's chest, offering it's warmth for protection against the cold air.

 

We had been flying for hours and I, for some unknown reason, felt safer in this mythical creature's arms than I ever had before. Something isn't right with me, I though in irritation to myself. The beast gently tilted into a shallow dive for the ground and landed without a sound, it's massive hind legs absorbing the impact easily. It slowly lowered itself to the ground and set me on my feet before standing proudly before me. It's eyes watched me with a steady patience. It's neck arched smoothly, it's head almost touching it's chest and it's wings swept back in a show of might with one claw lifted in a way that reminded me of a cat pausing mid-step. It almost seemed to be preening, like how a stallion pranced around a mare that had caught his interest, like it wanted me to look at it. I tilted my head to the side and it copied my movement, amusement seeping into its gaze. I sighed and looked around causing the dragon to snort and lay down as I took in my surroundings.

 

I stood in the middle of a clearing in the middle of tall mountains. The air was cold and getting colder and I knew that my t-shirt, jeans, and flats wouldn't be warm enough before it got too much later. The sky was dark but millions of stars sparkled in the sky. “Its beautiful, isn't it?” a voice asked quietly.

 

I looked around to see if I could tell where the voice was coming from. No one was around but I knew that I had heard a voice. The dragon snorted and made a rumbling sound that almost sounded like laughter. I looked at it and it stared back at me with an intelligent gaze, far more intelligent than it should be. “Oh no,” I said as I shook my head. “Hell no. It isn't possible.”

 

“And believing that dragons are real, is?” the dragon snorted in a faintly familiar voice.

 

I looked at it's eyes, the color was the same molten swirling silver that Christophe's had been earlier and, as I watched, its slitted pupils expanded and it's eyes looked exactly like Christophe's. Suddenly, the voice that it had clicked. It was the same voice that Christophe has used when I had first woken up on the plane; it was his voice with an array of voices underlying it. “Christophe?” I asked slowly.

 

The dragon dipped his head slightly. “I am he but not,” it said quietly.

 

I watched it in confusion. “What do you mean?” I asked.

 

The dragon growled and its pupils widened into Christophe's eyes. “It is a long story,” Christophe said slowly. It was then that I realized that I wasn't actually hearing his voice but that I was hearing it in my thoughts. “Yes, I can hear your thoughts, but only when in this form or when you let me into your thoughts,” he assured me.

  
“So I'm not losing my mind?” I questioned just to be sure.

 

“No,” he laughed.

 

I shivered as a cold wind blew through the clearing. Christophe slowly moved closer to me before pausing in front of me. He looked at me as if he was giving me a chance to run before moving closer and curling his massive body around me. He laid down around me, setting his head next to me and his long tail brushing my ankles, and let his warm body shield me from the cold. With a sigh, he lifted his wing and cover me and his head with it. “Better?” he asked.

 

I met the gaze of one large silver eye. “Yes.”

 

“You should probably sit down,” he said quietly, the tip of his tail pushing lightly on my ankle in the direction of his slightly exposed belly.

 

I followed his unspoken directions and sat down beside him, leaning against his warm body. “So tell me,” I said casually. “How are you Christophe but not?”

 

Christophe sighed. “We are a race of what you would call shifters. In the beginning, there was one man that asked God for greater strength. It was the time of the Great War and he asked, not for his own sake, but for the sake of others and his family,” he began evenly. “God saw his pure heart and blessed him with the ability to be bound to the soul of any creature. The man chose to be bound to the legendary griffin and God bound the two souls together. Only one could be seen at a time but neither was destroyed. As the war continued, the man again asked God to help their people. God chose seven other males and bound their souls to those of his creatures. The beasts chosen were the dragon, chimera, griffin, winged horse, the lion, tiger and wolf. To the original shifter, he gave the man the ability to change into any of those forms. Ever since then, our race has come together to fight against the enemies that Lucifer sends for mankind. Over the millennia, different beasts have become scarce and others have become more common. As time passed it also became apparent that the trait was passed mainly to males, from father to son, and that when a female was given the ability, she carried a strength that was needed in that time. Our history is long and our lives can be just as long. I am me, Christophe, and the dragon is himself. Our life forces are joined and we coexist in one mind and body. He is always present, just as I am, but it is more natural for me to lead in a human body and he in a dragon's.”

 

I watched quietly as the pupil of Christophe's eyes slitted to a reptilian shape before widening to an almost human shape. “Your pupils change when he takes control,” I observed.

 

Christophe blinked once. “Yes. It is a sign of his control, our actions is another. We are the last of our kind. There are no other dragons left except us.”

 

“Does he have a name?” I asked in curiosity.

 

His eyes shifted again ans I knew that I was speaking with the dragon and not Christophe. “Arian,” the dragon rumbled in an array of voices that sounded similar to Christophe's but different. “My name is Arian. And you are mine.”

 

I peered into his eyes in confusion. What did he mean I was his, I wondered. I wasn't some possession to be claimed. Arian rumbled, the sound vibrating around me like a cat purring. “Can I talk to Christophe?” I asked in annoyance.

 

Arian's eyes changed into Christophe's in a matter of seconds. “That is disorienting,” Christophe grumbled.

 

“What did he mean by I was his?” I questioned sharpy, crossing my arms over my chest.

 

Christophe sighed. “If I knew, I'd tell you,” he said quietly. “He is his own being and has his own thoughts and secrets. I don't always know what he is thinking.”

 

I glared at him. I had a feeling that he knew more than he was telling me. “I don't believe you,” I told him in a growl. He blinked in surprise. “I know what you are saying is true but you are hiding something.”

 

Again, he blinked. I had a feeling that no one had ever challenged him before. Oh well, I thought; he had better learn. Amusement crept into his gaze and his laugh rumbled through the ground. Suddenly,i realized that he had been listening to my thoughts and I glared at him in irritation. “Its the only way to communicate in this form,” he said defensively before I could say anything. “When I am in my form, I can read your thoughts only if you allowed me to.”

 

“So I could block you if I wanted to?” I asked as I peered at him sceptically.

 

“Yes.”

 

“Good.” He laughed again and flicked his tail against my legs. I let the warm heat of his body surround me like a blanket and sighed as my body began to thaw from the chill of flying. “Why are you so warm?” I wondered sleepily.

 

“What?” he asked as if I had pulled him from another train of thought.

 

“Why are you warm?” I repeated drowsily.

 

“In my race, our body temperatures run a few degrees warmer than a humans,” he explained. “It is a side effect because out bodies are constantly healing themselves. It is how we stay younger looking longer and partly why we live such long lives.”

 

“How old are you?” I questioned, half asleep.

 

He chuckled, the sound vibrating through the earth. “Old enough to protect you well. Now get some sleep. It will be a long day tomorrow.”

 

I nodded and, without thinking about it, rolled onto my side and curled into his warmth. Once I was settled, Christophe curled closer around me and easily slid the tip of his tail under my head. I gently ran my fingers over the smooth scales before closing my eyes and getting some much needed sleep.

 

* * *

 

Arian was quiet for the moment, perfectly content to be curled protectively around what was his; though he refused to let me have control. He kept his senses alert for anything that could be a threat to Ariel thought he was constantly aware of her. He hummed happily as she shifted and curled along our tail; her head pillowed on her arm and one leg tossed over it. He slowly shifted forward and brushed his snout along her soft hair, inhaling the wonderful scent of mysterious forests. Underneath that smell was a scent that I hadn't noticed before. Arian inhaled deeply to take it in and rumbled in pleasure at it. It was the smell of a light spring rain, pure moonlight, and sunshine.

 

With a slight push, I asked him why it pleased him so much. A sudden burst of images filled our mind. He pictured a pair of dragons flying together in close ranges then then the same pair begin curled protectively around a hatchling. With sudden clarity, I understood why Ariel was so important to him. He thought that Ariel was bound to the dragon that was his mate and he refused to believe that she wasn't my mate as well.

 

I had to admit that the thought had some appeal; she was beautiful and interesting, there was a spark there that I couldn't deny. But I knew that it would never work. I was her Guardian and a guardian could never become romantically involved with his charge. If he did, he'd be stripped of his position, discharged from the Guard, tried and dealt punishment. It didn't happen at all now but a few times in out history had there been a few and those that broke such a rule had punishments so sever that I shuddered at the thought of them. I reminded Arian of those punishments but he simply ignored me and returned to breathing in Ariel's sweet intoxicating scent.

 

I sighed and settled into the background. Sometimes it was just easier to let him get his stubbornness out of his system then to fight for control. Arian thanked me and relaxed some of his hold over my will. It was a balance, living with a dragon in the same body, but most of the time we managed. Arian took a deep breath and curled more protectively around Ariel before settling into a light doze, ever watchful of our surroundings as we slept.

 

* * *

 

I was comfortable when I woke up, even though I has slept on the ground and used a dragon's tail as a pillow. I looked up as a humming noise vibrated through me and met Arian's gaze. “Good morning,” I said quietly. He rumbled again, similar to a cat's purr, and shifted so that the tip of his snout rested in the hollow of my shoulder and neck. I held perfectly still as he breathed in deeply and exhaled, blowing my hair back from my neck. Then he slowly opened his jaw and licked the side of my neck. To my surprise, I shivered at the feeling. His tongue was rough but not overly so and it wasn't slimy either; instead it reminded me of the rasp of a cat's tongue when they lick you. It almost seemed like a kiss from the huge creature.

 

With a satisfied snort, he pulled back and lifted his wing to stretch in the dawn's light. I was mildly surprised to see a light layer of snow on the ground and branches though we were in the middle of now snow capped mountains. I turned and looked at Arian. His black scales contrasted sharply against the snowy landscape and change color sky. My fingers itched for some charcoal and paper and my longing for drawing returned with a vengeance. Arian shook his head and I watched his eyes shift into Christophe's and feel him brush against my mind. “Good morning,” he said.

 

A cold wind blew through the clearing, causing me to shiver. “I told Arian good morning, so did I tell you too?” I asked through clenched teeth to keep them from chattering.

 

He laughed quietly. “I suppose so,” he said. He shook his entire body, like how a dog shakes his entire body to get water off, and flung the snow that had piled up on him throughout the night. I shivered again as some of the wet snow landed on me. I glared at him as he held out a claw to me as if he had done nothing wrong. “We have a long way to go to reach safety,” he said innocently as I stepped toward him. “And you will be much warmer next to my belly.”

 

It was the promise of warmth that sent me into his claw but I suspected that he had ulterior motives. With a powerful jump and downward push of his wings, he launched us into the air. Before I knew it, we were flying high above a beautiful mountain range with deep shadowed valleys. The sky was a glorious array of lavender, violet, pink, peach, orange, red, and dozens of shades in between. The think wispy clouds were painted a deep orange around the bottom edged and were a mild gray that signaled waiting snow fall in the middle. I welcomed the heat from Christophe's body while I enjoyed the wind in my face as we flew. For half a second, I wished that I could ride on his back and truly fly with him but I shoved the thought aside when I remember that he could hear my thoughts. “I can only hear what you want me to,” Christophe laughed.

 

“And I'm supposed to just take your word about it?” I asked sarcastically.

 

I felt a laugh rumble through his chest. “Yes,” he chuckled. “I will never lie to you, regardless of how harsh the truth may be.”

 

“I will hold you to that,” I said seriously.

 

“I know you will,” he said quietly.

 

We flew for hours before landing in a valley at the base of a huge mountain. A stream ran through the clearing, pebbles shifting beneath Christophe's claws, and tall trees surrounded us. Christophe had just set me down when I heard a tree limb snap. Christophe's eyes quickly shifted to Arian's and he crouched down behind me, a low growl rumbling through the air.

 

Without another sound, a pack of wolves, lead by a pure black male, slowly emerged from the forest. They were beautiful and seemed to be slightly larger than the average wolf. Suddenly, the black wolf shifted into a tall man who was completely naked. I spun around without thinking and kept my back to him, tracking his movements by ear instead of sight. He began speaking in a foreign language that I didn’t understand or had even heard before and the pack fell back to the tree line. The man continued to speak in a rough voice that seemed to move back and forth behind me as he paced. I could tell he was aggravated by his tone and by how watchful Arian was as he remained statue still and tense. .

 

With a loud growl, Arian sprang forward and knocked the man to the ground, trapping him with his claws. The pack leapt forward but stopped with dangerous growls when Arian glared at them and hissed in warning. I didn't turn around but listened intently, trying to piece together what was happening. I heard pebbles shift under Arian's weight, the man mumbling something softly, and then the sound of two sets of footsteps approaching me. I was only mildly surprised when two muscular arms wrapped around me, pinning my arms to my side and holding me securely to a muscular chest. “Its just me,” Christophe said lightly in my ear when he felt me tense. “Look over my shoulder and I will introduce you to someone willing to help us.”

 

“Like I want to look at him right now,” I stated tersely as I gazed out at the creek.

 

Christophe laughed quietly in my ear. “You will only be able to see his face,” he laughed. “The rest will be blocked by my shoulder.”

 

I slowly turned and glanced over Christophe's shoulder. Sure enough, all I could see was the man's face and shoulders. He had bright hazel green eyes and jet black hair. I could tell that he was tall with solid muscle mass and a fighter's build just from the way he stood and held his shoulders. His toned skin contrasted naturally with the forest background behind him. “My name,” he said in a low, deep voice. “Is Tyler. I am Alpha of the Northwestern packs and head of the Lupus bloodline.”

 

Thinking back, I knew that lupus meant wolf in Latin and, pulling from what Christophe had told me, I began to understand that Tyler was a descendant from the wolf shifter that God created. Well duh, I thought sarcastically; what gave it away? The fact that he can change into a wolf at will?

 

“This is Ariel,” Christophe said regally. “The one foretold; and I am Christopher-Arian, last of the Draco bloodline and leader of the mythical lines.”

 

Tyler nodded but didn't take his eyes off me. “What is it that brings you to my territory, Christophe of the Dragons?” he asked angrily. “You know that the mythical lines are not allowed near my packs.”

 

“That only applies when it is not an emergency. I was taking her to training when our flight was attacked. We managed to get away but I doubt it will be long before they find us.”

 

Tyler growled. “So you not only come on my land but bring trouble as well?” he snarled, his body bulking up and the wolves behind him crouching in preparation to fight.

 

I felt Christophe tense and the sharp points of talons along my sides. “No,” he replied sharply. “I will stay and fight with you. All I ask is for food, clothing, shelter, and protection for Ariel. For myself, I can take care of without help.”

 

Tyler glared at me. “Rumor is,” he said harshly. “Is that she is from a mythical line. We do not help mythicals.”

 

Christophe growled loudly. “She is a descendant of the Original and none knows what form she will take. For all I know, she may be wolf.”

 

Tyler was silent for a few moments, watching me as I did him. His pack began to shift in anticipation but, other than that, the clearing was silent. Finally, he nodded slowly. “Very well,” he grunted. “I will offer what you request to her. You may come as well but you will always have at least five guards with you, no matter the circumstances. Are we clear?”

 

Christophe cursed quietly. “Accepted,” he growled.

 

Something isn’t' right here, I thought as Tyler motioned five large males forward to surround Christophe. A smaller chocolate brown wolf approached me and gently nudged me away from Christophe as towards the trees. She was big enough that I didn't have much choice but to step away from him and out of his reach. Christophe growled and stepped towards be and the wolves around him crouched to attack him. “I understand that she is your charge,” Tyler called. “But here, you will follow our ways. She goes with the females, you stay with us. I will not risk our women and children by allowing you to stay with her.”

 

Christophe met my gaze and I saw the anger in his eyes at leaving me alone. I watched him and knew instinctively that something really wasn't right. If everything was okay, then he would let me go like he had before. The fact that he wasn't, was not reassuring. Plastering on a smile as if nothing was wrong, I nodded at him reassuringly before following the brown wolf into the trees. I could feel his eyes watching me as I walked away and felt him brush against my mind. He would be watching me as best he could and that comforted me more than it should have.

 

* * *

 

I watched as Ariel disappeared smoothly into the forest's shadows before turning to glare at Tyler, who merely shrugged and walked in the opposite direction that she had gone. One wolf snapped at my legs, signaling for me to follow Tyler Lupus. I complied because I knew that I was more vulnerable in this form than I was in Arian's thought I tightened my hold on my link to Ariel's mind. It wasn't enough to read her thoughts but it would be enough to feel any intense emotion that she felt. The forest fell silent as we walked through it, the animals sensing the presence of a superior predator. Still, it was peaceful; despite the stench of Tyler's pack.

 

The wolves' steps were quiet but not so quiet that they could sneak up on a mythical shifter. Most normal shifters didn't like those of the mythical lines because mythical shifters often had special talents similar to Mike's. However, mythical shifters were few and that was why each line didn't have a leader. Most wolves were fairly kind to any request for help but then Tyler Lupus wasn't like other wolves. There was something about him that rubbed even his own kind the wrong way and he had caused nothing but problems for out race as a whole. Many people wanted him taken out of such an important role of leadership but a few very powerful people supported him, and those that had opposed him had vanished.

 

Our group walked into a rough town like camp. Rows of log cabins lined paths and large fires were being used to cook dinner. Hundreds of wolves were walking around and many of them stopped when I came into view. The level of hostility in the air was palatable; so thick that it could have been cut with a dull knife. “What is this, Tyler?” an older graying wold demanded. “Why have you brought one of them here?”

 

“He is Guardian to the one foretold,” Tyler growled, though not as harshly as he should have. “She needed protection and shelter so we will provide it to her only.” He glared at me. “He is on his own.”

 

I returned his glare as the wolves growled at the news. I heard Arian growl softly in my thoughts and felt him begin to push for control. From what he saw, these wolves were the ones keeping Ariel out of our sight and protection. I knew that once darkness fell, I'd have to find a way to get to Ariel before the enemy did. Arian could already tell that they were strong and close.

 

“I leave you free to roam with your guard,” Tyler said, pulling me out of my thoughts. “But know that the female camp is restricted. You cannot go there even if your charge needed you.”

 

Suddenly, Arian ripped control from me and did something that he had never done before. He spoke to someone else. “You will not keep her from us,” Arian growled in warning to Tyler. “She is ours and you dare to take her from our sight? Attempt to keep her away, but know that you will fail in the end.”

 

The wolves in the camp fell silent before many of them shifted forms and crouched low for an attack. A dangerous look crossed Tyler's eyes as he clenched his jaw and glared fearlessly at us. Arian growled in a deathly low tone that I'd heard only a few times before, and the one he growled at then hadn't lived to tell about it. Tyler Lupus was a dead man. He tried to hold Arian's gaze but eventually dropped it in submission. Still not satisfied, Arian walked us forward, despite the wolves growling around us, and pressed one talon to Tyler's neck, piercing the skin from jawline to collarbone. “You are warned,” he hissed at Tyler.

 

Tyler's eyes widened and a small, reluctant trickle of fear seeped into his gaze. He nodded slightly. “Know this, dragon,” Tyler said in a surprisingly calm voice. “You may try but I will not allow you near our females when there are pups in the camp. We will fight to keep them safe, regardless of what you want.”

 

Arian growled lowly again and I struggled to regain control. Arian fought against me but eventually, I convinced him to be the patient hinter and bide his time. I glared at Tyler before stalking into the woods to hunt, knowing that I would need the strength later once night fell. A storm was brewing and I would be ready for it.

 

* * *

 

 

**A/N: Hope you all are enjoying it so far. Please REVIEW and let me know what you think. Seriously, I don't write unless people like it and tell me that they do.**

 


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